DYI light mounting

[danny zubot]

Just thought I'd through this out there and get some opinions. This is what I thought I'd try for the mounting of my existing lights on my new tank. I dont want to hang the fixtures so I thought I'd try this rear mounting thing.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/1071light_mounting_plans-med.gif

[PrairieReefer]

This is almost exactly what I did, only using just DIY MH Pendants. I just set it up about a week ago and right now it is just a rough unit to see how it will work. In the pics the light is off but boy is it bright when fired up. (this is the first time I'm using DE bulbs and I really like them.)

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/1014IMG_2117.JPG
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/1014IMG_2118.JPG

I used 1/2 inch pipe and fittings for this, but I am going to get a larger diameter pipe and thread it on the inside to fit the 1/2 inch pipe, bend a nice curve to the vertical part and paint it black. If you look in the second pic towards the bottom of the mounting pipe I just used a larger sized pipe which the 1/2 inch pipe slides into. this one is sloppy but works for now. I will get a pipe which just fits over the inner one and hold it nice and steady, and weld a stop on the mounting pipe so it will not drop to far down.

This is a tank to view my clams and this system lets me have a beautiful top down view, and also lets me swing my lights from side to side to move them if I want to take pics in that area. I am going to use 20K lights to get the color I want without needing PC or VHO actinics.

With a hood it will work good too. Just make sure the uprights are fastened real well to the stand and hood because there is more leverage force on the mounts than there would be mounting from above.

[PrairieReefer]

Oh, and 2x2 is probably overkill. Even 1" square tubing or rod should be lots unless the hood is REALLY big and heavy.

[danny zubot]

The whole leverage thing is why I had originally wanted to go with 2x2s. Better safe than sorry for the lights, because the hood is much larger and heavier than yours. :cool: